A long time gone
by butterfly quills
Summary: Hermione's finally back, but can things go back to the way they were? Hermione has a secret she's hiding from everyone, a secret that could split the newly reunited trio back up. [[Post Hogwarts, RHHD. Please review! It's my first story so I really want t
1. Chapter 1

A woman stood not even a yard away from the front doors of 'The Three Broomsticks' . The woman sighed and pulled her coat tighter against her. Shaking her head, she turned sharply on the heel of a boot pulling a hood over her head, and making her way through the crowd.

"She's all right, isn't she mate?" She heard someone yell loudly. "'Eh, she'll do." She heard someone else say. "Miss, Miss!" She turned around to see where the suffocating yelling was coming from. "Good, I didn't think you'd know we meant you." A man with raven-hair and green eyes said making his way to her. "I-I didn't I was just tired of you yelling." The woman said stubbornly. "Oh, sorry. Look My friend over there-" The man started pointing to a red-haired man making his way through the crowd. "-is planning on playing a simple trick on his sister, and we could really use your help." He finished giving her a wide smile.

The woman looked back at the red-haired man. "How..childish! You two must be.." She started then looked between them. Raven-hair..red hair, how could she not see it! Of course, this was Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. Figuring it out, she gave a mischievous smirk. "I'd say about 25? Honestly, people as old as you two are should not be playing such immature stunts."

"Excuse me, Miss?" Harry asked, stunned by her tongue lashing. "Oh please, you heard me." She responded, crossing her arms causing her coat to open. She looked at Ron who seemed to be studying her body, and by the looks of it, he was pleased. "I'd like to ask you to stop staring at me, or at least stop staring at anything below my neck!" The woman yelled at him catching him by surprise, almost immediately he started blushing. "You know, you're voice seems vaguely familiar. I'm sorry, what's your name again?" Harry asked, looking her up and down but not for the same reason's Ron did. "I never said it in the first place. I'm Hermione Granger" She said, only managing a serious face until she got to 'I'm.' This caught both males attention as their eyes shot up to her face. "Bloody Hell.." Ron yelled looking at her, his voice cracking a little bit. This caused Hermione's smile to widen. "Hermione..you've..grown." Harry said pulling her into a large hug. "Thank you, Harry." Hermione said laughing, hugging him back. "Holy hell!" Someone yelled from across the crowd. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that was..."

"Hermione Granger." Harry said smiling at her, finally releasing her from his grip. She looked at Ron who still seemed to be in disbelief on the whole situation. "Don't worry, Ron. I've never forgotten about you or you're family!" She said smiling, as soon as she finished speaking she felt him grip her in a warm hug much different from Harry's. This hug brought back memories from their seventh year when they were dating. Whenever Ron touched her she felt comfortable, and safe. It was this she needed.

She watched as another man walked up to her pulling her into a tight hug. "Hermione! We've all missed you so much! I'm a healer now!" Yelled the man as he released his grip. "Good for you..er-"

"Oh, Neville"

"Neville! Merlin Neville you look..good" Hermione said eyeing him, being back here made her feel like her old self. She felt good. "Thank you, oh I suppose you don't know. Luna and Myself just got married this past summer." He said cheerfully. "Oh that's excellent, Neville! I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you, I suppose Harry's already invited you to his wedding?" Neville split the words out, turning to Harry, Hermione smirked. "Wedding?"

"Er..yes, I didn't have the time to tell you.." He said directing his comment towards Neville. "Ginny and myself are to be married this Spring."

Hermione let out a small scream that seemed to catch the attention of half the crowd, throwing her arms around Harry's neck she laughed. "That's wonderful! I knew it would happen after I found you two in that classro-"

"Hush!" Harry yelled, pointing to Ron. "He still doesn't know about that!" Harry whispered to her. "Ooh" Hermione nodded and shut up about it. "What? Found you and Ginny where?" Ron asked dumbfounded.


	2. Chapter 2

Sitting on several rocks relaxed, the trio kept talking. The only sign of slowing up when Harry's announce his departure since he wasn't off tomorrow like Ron was. Hermione and Ron sat side-by-side as they waved good bye to him until he couldn't be seen. After that, Ron looked at Hermione with a long depressed stare. "Can I ask you something, Hermione?"

Turning her head towards him she noticed the depressed stare and let out a sigh to herself. She knew what this would be about. "Ronald, I'd rather not..tonight has been such a wonderful night. Why ruin it with that?"

"Because I need to know, Hermione. What you did..well it wasn't fair to any of us!" He said slightly yelling by still remaining a calm voice. "no one said life was going to be fair, Ron. I did what I had too at the time."

"You hurt a lot of people that day. What you did, well, it never seemed like something you would do." "Please stop this! I don't need to discuss my actions with you! What's done is done and no one can do anything about it now." Hermione stated, feeling uncomfortable with Ron telling her the reactions by people she love where brought by so much pain.

Ron studied her for a second and nodded. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her, or make her feel the way she made him feel six years ago. Smiling slightly he looked towards the sky. "You know, you've missed a great deal. I can't wait for you too see Ginny, Harry's had a real effect on her. Mum's please with her change atleast, she's not as stubborn anymore. Say, where did you catch Harry and Ginny and what where they doing?" Ron said each word extremely fast hopping to catch Hermione off guard, it was like him to never drop anything. "Oh really? Wow. I really missed her, and Harry sworn me to silence about the subject.." She said just as quickly as Ron had. Ron crossed his arms, how could he forget? She was the smart one. Hermione looked at him and smiled sitting closer to him, she started whispering in his ear. Ron's face turned an extreme red, his ears seemed to glow and his facial expression showed nothing but disgust and anger.

Hermione's whisper; "I'm telling you for one reason, and one reason only. Don't tell Harry I told you, but in September of our seventh year I found him and Ginny..er..getting it on..in an empty classroom on the second floor. You know, the one that never had any classes in it?"

Ron turned to her it was simple to tell he was going to yell, so Hermione braced herself for the lashing. "How could he! He's my best friend! And that means Ginny lied, she said she'd never-" Hermione started laughing at Ron's reaction. "Ron, atleast it was with Harry. He had never before Ginny anyway, and their getting married now, so it's not as bad." She kept laughing, but managed to get through to him since his face was turning back to a normal color.

"Have you ever?" Ron asked, blushing slightly as he asked the question. This caused her to stop laughing and stare seriously at him. "Ron..thats like asking a woman her age, you don't."

"We're best friends, you can tell me."

"Urgh, umm, no, actually I haven't. I still want my first time to be with the right person." She state simply. "Oh.."

Hermione smiled at his reaction, he seemed pleased with the facts and was now settled and calm. Hermione looked down at the snow, only realizing then she hadn't moved away from him since she told him about Harry and Ginny. She thought for a second of what to do, but Ron hadn't seemed to notice, so she'd stay put. Looking back up at Ron's face she felt like melting. She'd forgot how good he made her feel, looking at his face she was forgetting a lot of things. Ron turned to look at Hermione and caught her eyes. Yes, Hermione was all of a sudden forgetting the very reason she came back. She closed her eyes leaning in to kiss him-

"Hermione!" She heard someone yelling from a distance. Looking back she saw a man with blonde hair making his way towards them. Pulling away from Ron who now had a large frown at the man, so she guessed Ron was into the almost-kiss as well. Panicking Hermione turned to Ron. "Look, I, um, I have to go..now. I'll see you again..sometime, but I have to go now." Hermione repeated as she shot up towards the man with blonde hair, hopping Ron couldn't see them as she kissed him and grabbed his hand and started running towards a magical car sitting in the street, but Ron did see.


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione walked down a long stone staircase, her arms where crossed tightly against her chest. Her lips were extremely thin as she neared the end where a blonde-haired man she'd ran off with the night before stood waving a wand that would create beautiful rose bushes and trees lining the enormous front year and drive way. As she stopped at the second to last step the man turned around, a smile played widely across his face. "Good Morning!" He said cheerfully, this caused Hermione's expression to only sour the more. Narrowing her eyes she pointed her index finger only inches away from his nose. "I don't want to talk to, Draco Malfoy!" She yelled storming past him.

Draco looked stunned taking a double take as he turned around to follow her, he waved his hands violently through the air. "What have I done now!" He yelled, finally catching up to her side. Without looking at him she threw an opened envelope at his head. The envelope had only a few words on it addressing it to 'Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy.' Draco stopped a second to stare at the envelope seeing who it was addressed to he grinned. "Oh, Hermione! Please tell me you're not upset over..this" he seemed to prolong the end word as he let out a slight chuckle. "Hermione, we only have five months until that will be your official last name!" He yelled running after her once more. "Of course I'm not upset about the name, did you bother to read what was inside the envelope, or did you think I was having a fit about nothing" Hermione stopped once again narrowing her brown eyes at him. "Well, it's been known to happen" Draco said, this only caused Hermione to stomp off making her way through the back doors onto a porch stopping at the railing she over looked the rather large back yard.

Looking around she let her arms fall limp to her side. Looking back six years ago she'd never have guessed she'd be months away from marrying her worst enemy, but then again who would have? Up until the time so long ago she was rescued everyone was anticipating her engagement to Ronald Weasley. Even Ron's mother had sent her letters dropping her hints Ron was to purpose. Thinking back she still remember some of the letters. 'I can't wait until you and Ron return home''We'll have so much shopping to do''Authur and I have been waiting ages to your return.''We can't wait to see your parents again''You've always been apart of our family its nice to see soon your parents will be apart of ours as well.' The last one was a rather obvious hint, and she'd caught on. All she wanted by the middle of December was for summer to be here. She was ready for Ron's proposal and knew exactly what she would say. Of course, nothing could ever bring back the past. So why was she thinking of it now? Why did it matter anymore? Surely Ron had moved on, so why was she still dwelling on memories from six years ago? Why-

"Hermione! I can explain everything!" Draco had made his way to her again, only now she was getting annoyed with it. "I read it, Draco. I don't need you to explain, but if I were you I'd get ready for a rather uncomfortable night."

"Why's that?"

"Well, we wouldn't want the company in our rooms would we? So I'm having Lerita charm the doors so no one but the owner's to the rooms can open them, and I have a feeling you're door is going to be intensely stubborn to let you in."

"We don't even share a room!"

"Your point is? I can't help it if Lerita makes a mistake" Hermione stated, turning around and walking back into the house so she'd have the last word. "You need to get to work and Lerita and myself will set up for this..party..you've decided to throw on my plate at the last minute." Draco let out a long sigh and nodded, with a 'click' he had disappeared.

Hermione listened and let out a loud growl, stomping through the manor she made her way outside and kept stomping through the yard, walking around to the back. Respectfully Draco had made the house a tiny bit more muggle then wizard since the old manor was torn down, but then again Draco had kept her in the dark about moving back to the wizarding world until a week ahead time, he probably made the manor more to her liking so she wouldn't have constant fits and rows about it. Hermione stomped until she got to a rose bush that was right under the large window which could see into the massive living room, or tonight, ballroom. Growling she kicked the bush violently, jumping back and falling down when she heard a loud. "OUCH!"


	4. Chapter 4

A note; this is a little bit longer and changes scenes, I have something major in the story coming up so chapters will start to get longer and change scenes more often.

Hermione growled again and looked up in time to see Ron emerging from the bush. It was easy to tell Ron wasn't happy. "You're marrying Malfoy?" He seemed to ask calmly. Hermione, now scared, stood up and took a few steps back. "I meant to tell you, really I did!" She said panicking. "Oh, did you? I don't remember you ever saying a word about even having a boyfriend, let alone be engaged to be married with Draco Malfoy!"

Ron glared at her, unable to realize why or how someone could walk back into a life they'd left six years ago and an engagement to their worst enemy in the world, aside from the late lord Voldemort.

"Ron you-let me explain!" She yelled now returning to her sour mood she had been in before she'd found out someone had been spying on her. "No, Hermione. I don't want an explanation. I should have known back when.."

"That wasn't what you think it was!"

Ron laughed a laugh that even scared Hermione, causing her to fall right back to the ground. All she had wanted since last night was to go back, go back to the time where she left, go back before the kidnappings.

Ron looked at her on the ground, he was unable to feel anything. He wanted to hurt her, he wanted throw her against a wall and shake sense into her head. It wasn't fair.

"You know what Hermione? It's my turn to leave. Sadly, I have to see you again at least once, but that won't be for long." Ron said throwing a letter in Hermione's lap. "I'll see you tonight, then" He said and with a 'click' he was gone. Hermione read the letter and ripped it up. Allowing her head to out weigh her body it fell to the ground and she was now laying there. She felt like all the years she'd manage to keep such a good head about things were catching up to her, she felt like she wanted to act like a child, she wanted to kick and scream and have an absolute fit, but she couldn't and wouldn't. "Lerita, contact Mr. Malfoy and tell him if he wants this place ready he best be here from work early. I'll be in my room." Hermione screamed as she forced herself up off the ground, into the house, and into her room.

Hermione had been laying in her bed all day, she charmed it to become increasingly cold. Suddenly a loud knock came from the door. "Come in!" she yelled the silently said "if you must"

Lerita emerged from the door holding a bagged silk dress. Hermione rolled her eyes and sat up, staring at the dress. "Am I right to assume that is my outfit for this evening?" Lerita nodded. "Mr. Malfoy asks that you be down within the hour. Guests are already arriving."

Hermione nodded and took the dress.

Ron and Harry walked through the door with a group of several others. Ginny practically attached to Harry's arm. "I can't believe Hermione would be with Malfoy..it's too..odd."

Ron only grunted in response and looked around the room. "I don't see her, maybe I can make quick rounds and be out before she sees me?"

Ron felt a heavy tap on the back of his head, turning around Ginny's hand was in the air to swing again. "We will support Hermione in any choice she makes." Once again, Ron only grunted.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to introduce the man and woman of the hour. Mr. Draco Malfoy and Mrs. Hermione Granger." As the man who introduced the backed away Draco and Hermione took his place. Ron kept his eyes on Hermione who, as he could tell, and a fake smile across her face. As Hermione waved to everyone their eyes met. "Thank you all for coming, since a great deal of you are our friends. We've decided to formally announce our engagement here. Hermione and myself are to be married come April."

This caused a lot of cheering and clapping. Ron shook his head and began to walk out.

Hermione sighed. She let Draco finish showing-off then made her way back to her room. Unable to cope with the world around her and the thoughts she was having she flung herself onto her bed. It was very cold in her room especially with a strapless, silk dress. Curling up she let the icy air hit her as she drifted off into a sleep. A sleep filled with an odd dream.


	5. Chapter 5

_"Who are you trying to save?" _

_Hermione heard someone say to her, looking around she recognized this room. The dirt for floors, weak walls, dripping ceiling, she knew this place all to well. "Answer me, who are you trying to save?" The voice asked again, a little more violently. Hermione opened her mouth to answer but couldn't speak. She tried to pull her hands to her mouth to try and find out why, but found it increasingly difficult to move them, looking down she saw her legs bound together by sharp rope, then tied to the legs of a chair, looking for her arms she could now see why they wouldn't move, they were tied behind her. "Her." She heard someone say from behind her, turning her head she saw Draco step out of the shadows. "Why save such filth? A woman of dirt in her blood. She's not even a human but not a witch." She heard the voice saying. Shaking her head she kept trying to argue. "She went through pain. She finally thought what she should have in the beginning, Potter wasn't a hero, nor her friend. The same could be said for Weasley, looking right past her. Everyone could see who she was but the one who supposedly loved her. I did save her." She heard Draco say. _

_How could he? She wanted to hurt him. He didn't save her. How could he even possibly think she thought those things about her friends? She knew Harry went through trouble, and it wasn't Ron's fault he looked right past her, she was bruised and cut, thin and dirty. _

_"Do tell, how did you save her, Malfoy" She heard another voice say, but she didn't need to look. It was Ron. He spoke in a rather angry tone, but still calm at the same time. _

_"I saved her by changing her. No longer did she hide behind you and Potter, she was able to come out into the open into her own. Honestly, what do you think she was doing with me that night in the hall?"_

_"Don't listen, Ron! I loved you, I still love you!" She heard a voice exactly like hers choke out, as if it were dying. . Turning she saw herself locked in a cage, chained to the end of it. "Look at whose saying it, someone whose unable to move, unable to breath."_

_She watched Ron looked at her with a depressed stare. He moved his hand down to his pocket and pulled out his wand facing it towards the caged and chained Hermione Granger. "She needs to die" She heard another voice of hers say. "Kill her, it's the only way she can be put to peace, Ronald," she heard herself say again. She shook her head as she watched herself and Draco step behind him. Ron shook his head mocking her, and dropped his wand, as soon as he did so a long green light went into his back. She watched in horror as he fell to the floor immobile. Looking up she saw her free self holding the wand that killed him. Looking back towards her chained self she watched it die. Only then did someone address her, her free self walked over to her and dropped the wand in her lap, smirking. "You killed your own true love." They said. "No, I didn't!" She heard herself yell, clasping her hands over her mouth she realized she was free. "No-no I was locked up. Tied!" She yelled, and watched herself smirk even wider. "You were completely free, how else could he have died? Your blood is now pure, Draco made your blood pure. Ron was only keeping it of mud," they said then disappeared. _

"I didn't kill him! I love him, I didn't kill him! No Please!" Hermione woke up being shaken by someone. Looking up she saw Draco in immediate reaction she screamed and rolled over, falling off the bed. "Hermione! Hermione calm down, it was only a dream!" Draco yelled picking her up off the floor and laying her back down on the bed. "No! No, Ron was dead! I killed him! I killed someone!" Hermione yelled back at Draco starting to cry. She looked up at him with pleading eyes hopping he'd tell her Ron was alive. Draco studied her then pulled her into his arms. "Weasley is fine, Hermione. In fact him, potter, and the other Weasley's are down stairs right now, we've all got a surprise for you." Draco said in a reassuring voice, still cradling her in his arms. Hermione looked up at him and shook her head.

She didn't want to see Ron or the others, she still wanted to be left alone. She wanted to go back to sleep in the cold room and stay there, but Draco forced her up out of the bed and eventually after much arguing down the stairs. Hermione forced a half-assed smile as she spotted the Weasley Family. Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny all lined up. Then Mrs. and Mr. Weasley next to them. After a long, drawn out hugging and "you look so different" session they all retired to the living room, to where Hermione forced herself to sit as far away from them all as possible. "Well, Hermione. I said we all had a surprise and we do. I have a business trip around Christmas, and it looks like I won't be home in time to celebrate, so Mrs. Weasley and her family have agreed to come and stay here with you." Draco announced gleefully. Hermione eyed him, then narrowed her eyes at him. "Excuse me?" Hermione asked sharply, dropping her fake smile and persona. "What's wrong, dear? I thought you'd be happy." Draco asked innocently. Hermione forced another tight-grip smile and nodded. "Oh, of course! I couldn't be happier!" Hermione said pushing herself up out of the chair and walking out of the room, flinging the back of her hand against a tea setting Lerita had been bringing. The reaction caused a sudden crash of dishes and shattering of glass.

Ron watched Hermione leave then, rolling his eyes forced himself up. "Excuse me, everyone. I think I should talk to her." He said storming after her, heading her off at the staircase. Ron had already been angry about Draco's proposal and the fact he now had to spend Christmas with the woman he liked least of all right now, but for Hermione to storm out on his family and the closest people she had to them, pushed him too far. Getting in front of her, he grabbed her just above the elbows tightly and forced her to look him in the eyes. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Hermione looked up at him wiggling her arms trying to get out of his grip, refusing to answer she stomped on his foot which only seemed to make him dig his fingers into her arm deeper. "I'm tired of this fit you're having, Hermione! I don't want to be here now, and I don't want to be here then, but my family wanted to see you!" Ron yelled at her. Still refusing to answer, she just kept wiggling almost as if she couldn't hear him. Letting out a low growl, Ron pulled her up the stairs until he reached a long grand hall way. "Which room is yours?" He asked stubbornly still maintaining his grip on her arm. Hermione wiggled even more, finally realizing she was not going to get out of his grip she nodded towards her door and was dragged into the room. Ron shut and locked the door and then let her go. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you?" He asked again. Hermione sat herself down on the bed and looked up at him.

She couldn't figure out what to say or how to say it. She wanted to cry but knew she couldn't. Finally Hermione looked down and began to speak. "I want my life with Draco, I love him and I want to marry him and have a family with him, well that's what I'm trying to convince myself I want." She said finally. Ron looked at her in shock then made his way to a chair next to the bed. "So what do you really want?"

That was the exact question Hermione didn't want to answer, looking back up at him with tears in her eyes she was trying hard to force herself to just say the one word, only one word she kept reminding herself. "You." She finally said, but now felt even worse then before. "When I left after our seventh year, I went with Draco. He knew what I was going through, at least, more then you could. He lost his parents too, Ron. He was comforting, he was loyal, but as soon as you touched me I wanted you again. Do you know what that did to me? Wanting so much to be able to come home to Draco and become happy about our wedding plans, but then I couldn't, I couldn't even bring myself to be nice to him after we almost kissed. You ruined everything!" She started yelling but then calmed down again. "And I actually am glad about it..." she finished, everything seemed to stun Ron. She wasn't even sure he heard her until he got up from the chair, moved right in front of her then pulled her tightly too him and kissed her. Like the very words she said was everything he wanted to hear. Unwilling to pull away, Hermione kissed him back wrapping her arms around his neck. They were both melting into each other, into the feelings they'd both tried hard to forget, and only one thing could prevent the feelings and hopes from coming true.

Suddenly a loud knock came from the wood, and the handles started to jiggle.


End file.
